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7.28.2012

You've got style, that's what all the girls saySatin sheets and luxuries so fineAll your suits are custom made in LondonBut I've got something you'll really likeGonna dress you up in my love-Madonna

Back in June and a few weeks before we moved out of our house, birdMAN looked at the shoe boxes, the selection of sweaters, skirts, coats, blouses, and dresses stuffed in my closet, and said "Your closet scares me," meaning "We are moving into much smaller quarters, and you will only take two bags with you to China, so why haven't you gotten rid of your clothes already?" I have to admit, I like clothes and I like to shop. I like pairing a bright pair of shoes with a even brighter sweater.

My fondness for clothes (particularly from the sale section of Anthropologie) is noted by others. When I told the staff at my dentist office that my husband and I were moving to China, one of the receptionists asked me, "Will you still be able to bring your clothes? You like clothes, will you be able to wear them?" I told her there is plenty of shopping in China, after all almost everything comes from there, right? I will, however, be leaving my favorite 3-inch high yellow wedge heels here.

A few nights before we left our house for good, I texted some of my girl friends to come over and take my clothes. Like any loyal friend, they were there for me ASAP. I was happy to give my clothes to people who appreciate them, and birdMAN was glad to see my closet emptied. So now I see my clothes worn by others, and it makes my heart happy! And I appreciate that I do not really need a coat in every color (but sometimes there is nothing better than a purple coat).

Checklist completed:
1. Sell house and move temporarily
2. Sell 1 car (1 more to sell)
3. Get jobs as English teachers (along with a place to live) in China
4. Buy plane tickets
5. Get Chinese visas
6. Vaccination shots (tuberculosis, measles, hepatitis B/C, typhoid, etc)
7. Find our chickens a good new home

Checklist to be completed:
1. Sell 1 car
2. Pack all our belongings for one year into two bags
3. Say goodbye to all our friends and family
4. Eat a lot of tacos and drink bitter beer